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Supreme Court asks to expedite pending applications in Rajesh Mehta trust case
A Trust in Turmoil
The on , disposed of a filed by Rajesh Mehta, a former Permanent Trustee of the . A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, and Justice V. Mohana declined to interfere with an of the but directed that court to take up pending applications on a day-to-day basis and dispose of them expeditiously.
The Road to the Apex Court
The dispute erupted after resolutions dated January 16 and , removed Mehta from his position as Permanent Trustee of the public charitable trust, registered under the . Mehta promptly instituted a suit before the on , arguing that his removal violated the Trust Deed and , as he was neither served notice nor given a hearing. He also contended that only the held the authority to remove a permanent trustee.
During the suit’s pendency, both sides moved multiple interim applications. Notably, Mehta sought an , while the respondents filed an application under seeking . The High Court listed Mehta’s injunction application for hearing on . Apprehending that the injunction would be delayed due to the multiplicity of interim applications, Mehta approached the Supreme Court.
No Interference, but a Gentle Nudge
After hearing senior counsel for both sides, the Supreme Court observed, “We are not inclined to interfere with the impugned , especially when the matter is pending consideration before the High Court.” The Court clarified it had expressed no opinion on the merits of the case.
Expedite and Decide: The Final Word
The apex court disposed of the with a specific request: “We dispose of this with a request to the High Court to take up the pending applications one-by-one, preferably on day-to-day basis and dispose of the same. The sequence or priority assigned in taking up the pending applications will be decided by the learned Presiding Judge.”
The order effectively ensures that the will now accelerate the hearing of all interim applications, including Mehta’s injunction plea. All pending applications were also disposed of.
Implications:
The trust dispute now returns to the for swift resolution on procedural matters, while the substantive question of Mehta’s removal awaits a final decision.
